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Forging Ahead
Southern Beachhead One portion of the continent that isn't rocked by gale force winds or other atmospheric interference is the beach to the south, named simply the 'Southern Beachhead'. The outer edges of the land are surrounded by a large mountain range, their sharp peaks loom overhead; almost exclusively barring land travel. That coupled with the freakish weather patterns makes the Southern Beachhead the only entry point on the island. A large expanse of coarse black sand greets those landing on the shore, it leads into the dark congo with rough patches of vegetation and shrubbery. A sense of foreboding doom surrounds the entrance to the jungle, its mysterious contents leads into the dark congo, a sense of foreboding doom about its mysterious contents. The deserted and forgotten island on Coludarr, or more specifically ... the only landing spot on this Primus forsaken rock; the Southern Beachhead. All other portions of the tiny continent are denied aerial access to and from by hurricane force winds. It's here this 'crack' group of Decepticons have traced Motormaster's last known wherabouts, where he absconded with the Autobot Headmaster Chromedome and did some freaky brain experiment. Speaking of brains, someone who's in need of one treks up over the obsidian sand and kneels down. Pulling a rod from subspace, the Seeker plants it in the ground. Suddenly it juts up, expanding and unfurling a big purple flag with a white Decepticon logo on it. "I claim this land in the name of Lord Galvatron, ALL HAIL GALVATRON!!" Backfire shouts, standing up and puffing his chest out. A gumbie to his right doesn't have the core to tell him the Autobots landed first, which means they probably already claimed the land in the name of Prime. Windshear looks at Backfire and shakes his head as the Seeker plants the flag. He would say something but what good would it do? The Seeker looks around at the area and comments idely, "Any indication where to start?" he asks no one in particular as he heads back from the beach (why is windy all over beaches lately?) and starts looking around for any clue or trail or anything on the mechs that are here somewheres. Soundwave projects his usual hologram of the area from his chest. "Performing sensor sweep now. Checking for residual foreign debris." he says, as a wave forms across the hologram of a 2d version of the planet surface. Slugfest is stuck in Soundwave's tapedeck. Right now he's somewhat dormant, though ready for activation at any time. One never knows when you might need a dinosaur on the beach. "Riiiiiiight. Well Windshear, while our dutifully stuffy commander works on his laser light show ... howabout we start searching for this Energon Plant??" Backfire laughs, turning around to face both of them. He's certainly not one to think of the best entry point or most logical course of action, no. He's much more of the wander around aimlessly with no plan type. The Seeker simpleton hovers up towards the sky, a little weary of the storms brewing overhead ... but obviously not that worried. "Come comrade, we shall weather the storm and come out victorious!" As if by command, a lighting bolt streaks past the simpleton and strikes the beach. Landing, Backfire starts strolling towards the jungle in a hurried rush. "Or we could just hoof it!" he yelps, scared of being smighted by whatever gods are in the clouds chucking lightning bolts. Windshear isnt that easily startled but yea, that bolt of lightening slamming down a couple of feet from him made the mech jump.. and it came out like a moonwalk slide away from the strike. With a slight flex of his wings he looks at Backfire and cant help but laugh, "Hoof it works for me.. though since you were just up there, giving away our presence, I would say it probably wont matter if we try to be stealthy about it or not." Soundwave, caught up in his analysis, fails to notice the lightning bolt until almost the last moment. He attempts to dive out of the way, the bolt missing him by only a few feet. The hologram disappears in a flash of static as Soundwave hits the ground. Turning, he rights himself, then tilts his head for a moment as if processing something. "My scanners, and radio repeater circuitry have been damaged beyond field repair by static electricity." He says, using his fist to bang on the corner of his tape door. It drops open with a creak. "along with other physical damage. Backfire, we are on our own." When the tape-door is banged open, a brown-and-yellow tape slides out. It hits the ground and then transforms. Slugfest yawns. "What going on?" he asked, "What that noise?" He looks around and his tail stirs up some of the sand as it whaps back and forth. "Soundwave, I don't mean to be condescening ... but when one has the love of the EMPIRE in his core, he is -never- alone!" Backfire shouts back at his superior, starting to get some of his steel nerve back after the bolt-ing. Giving Slugfest a once over, he groans. "Couldn't you have brought along Laserbeak, that dude is like ... always useful!" Still creeping towards the jungle, Backfire turns to Windshear. "What's Stay-Elth?" he asks, tripping over a jungle vine and crashing to the ground. Windshear shudders slightly as he flushes out some static from the bolt and opens his mouth to reply to Backfires' question of 'stealth' -- no 'stay-elth' then the Seeker trips and falls to the ground. "Well, its not that." he says dryly as he pauses, waiting for the fellow Jetformer to pick himself up. "It would be fortunate for you, should we require transport, that your love of the empire dull the pain you will experience when I forcefully extract parts of your circuitry to repair my transmitters." Soundwave says, striding up next to the seeker. "Laserbeak is otherwise preoccupied, and Slugfest is ideal for this harsh environment. You would be wise not to question my judgement." Slugfest looks at the jungle and oooohs. "Need to hack through plants? Can do that!" he says. His backplates start vibrating as he moves forward. "Where need path?" Backfire quickly gets up, shooting Windshear a dirty glare. "It was most obviously static interference from the lightning bolt!" Dusting himself off, the Seeker looks towards Slugfest. Cradling his chin in his hand, he tries to strike a thoughtful pose. "Hrm, perhaps Soundwave. Perhaps." Done with his theatrics, Backfire turns back toward the brush and wrestles with it for a moment. "Quick, over here Slugfest. In the name of the EMPIRE, I ... BACKFIRE command you to lay waste to this nefarious vegetation!" A gumbie from the back whines, "Does he always have to refer to himself like that?" Another one shushes him, "Dude, be quiet before he calls you a curr or something!" Windshear cant help but snicker at Backfire and at the pose strikig the Seeker does Windy suggests quietly, "You need a goatee to pull that chin stroking off.." he chuckles and then gets quiet and back to business as he tests his scanners. They seem ok but could use a recalibration now but none the less he starts scanning the area for anything and everything. "Picking up nothing living so far, save the plants." he stats flatly as he continues scanning. Soundwave watches his creation do the dirty work, as efficient as he designed him to be. "Backfire, explain your estimation of the energon refinery's whereabouts." he says, and moves forward to inspect the dinocon's handiwork. Slugfest pushes forward where Backfire indicates. His backplates go bzzzz and the plants, they go crunch. Hail to the chainsaw dino! A flash of movement deep in the woods scuttles by Windshear's field of vision, but is soon gone without leaving a trace. Backfire steps out of the way, so the Dino-Chainsaw can go to work at reducing this obstacle. "It pains me to report this Commander Soundwave, but we've very little intel on what we garnered from Autobot chan chatter. The only silver lining being, they don't know anymore than we do!" he replies, casually looking over his shoulder at the tapecon reducing the jungle to brush clippings. "That compounded with the small size of this island, we're bound to stumble upon it sooner or later." the Seeker shrugs. Windshear merely continues forward running a constant scan sweep of the area as he does so. Windshear pauses suddenly. He holds his hand up indicating for everyone to stop and he tries to scan the area to pinpoint what he just saw, "Something moved, couldnt make it out and I cant pick it up on sensors." he states as he runs a replay of his visuals in his HUD to try and figure out what that thing was. But he cant make it out, it was too quick and blurry. Soundwave, out of instinct goes to hit a button on his chest to bring up his scanners, then realizes his situation, turning the pointed index finger back into his fist, and lowering his arm in defeat. "Windshear...report." He says in a very flat tone, with all the enthusiasm of Turbofox that just got caged. Far off in the galaxy, a Junkion shakes his head, and plays the Fail Horn for poor Soundwave. Slugfest keeps buzzing away at the foliage, as it falls away from his sawing blades. "When want me stop?" he wonders, "Keep going?" Windshear replies, "Undetermined -- entity, creature, something flashed across my sensors -- using terran terminology, 1 Oclock. It vanished heading that way--" and he motions to his right (cause his player has idea what direction they are all facing iccly) "I can not pick it up on sensors and repeated playbacks on my HUD still show it as just a dark blur." "Nonononono, stop Slugfest. Comrade Windshear said he 'saw' something." Backfire overreacts, leaning closer towards Soundwave and a better view of his sensor array. Sadly, the Seeker has no impressive show of sensor equipment. This time, two blurry animalistic movements criss cross far back in the jungle. In view of everyone this time. "HOLY STRAXUS, DID YOU SEE THAT!!" Backfire yelps, automatically whipping his arms forward in an offensive position. "Tell me I'm not the only one who saw that!!" "Windshear, recalibrate sensors for density level 62.4, and re-sweep. " Soundwave says, pressing a button on the side of his head, which drops a red lens down over his optics. "Heading 324.72." he finishes, pushing some of the Sluggy-debris aside to get a better view. The Stegosaurus Shredder stops when Backfire gets all panicky. "What? What there? What him see?" he asks. His tail starts sweeping away some of the debris that's fallen on him. His head's so far down on his body that he can't really see much above the foliage. With a slight mental adjustment Windshear resets his scensors as ordered and begins scanning the area the forms were seen. He also replies calmly to Backfire, "I saw it Backfire..." he finishes his scan and glances back at Soundwave, "Readings indicate small lifeforms, dont know what though, Im also picking up some strange energy readings and there is some intereference from something, planets magnatic field perhaps, that is preventing me from pinpointing the energy readings. I cant tell if its from the life forms or something else." "I saw something Steggo!!" Backfire does not look well, frantically looking all around him for any sign of the would-be attackers. "We should just blaze the whole place comrades, we know it's not Decepticon ... therefore no chance of friendly crossfire!" he panickly states, aiming at a tree. "I mean, just look at that tree ... what a -nefarious- character!!" A loud chirping sound slowly builds in the dense foilage, ending with a bloodcurdling (or energoncurdling in this case) scream. Soon following that is a sudden rush of tiny feet, scampering on the forest floor. Only in the multitude here, it's more like a deafening sound. Backfire backs away, arms still raised up. "STAMPEDE!!" Windshear hears the chirping, the scream, hears the tiny 'feet' but right now is more preoccupied with his fellow Seekers episode. He turns and attempts to grab Backfire to try and calm him down, "The tree is not a neferious character." he rasps with his damaged voice riddled in hummor. Hes trying so hard not to laugh even in lou of what everyone just heard. "And blasting all of this will surely give oursselves away. I dont think thats in our best interest right now...now.. calm down." His radio and sensors may be out, but Soundwave's hearing works just fine. This could be a clue...an /escaping/ clue! He bangs on his tape door again, and it flops open with a groan. "Hinder...Eject. Operation: Investigation!" he says sharply, pointing at the source of the tiny racket. Whatever it was, it sounded like it was a good mision for the little ferret! Hinder jettisons from Soundwave's chest compartment and transforms in midair, homing in on the strange sounds and racing after them. Something to chase! WHEE! Backfire struggles in the much stronger Seeker's grasp, "Blast you Windshear, blast you to hell! Can't you hear that!!" he pauses, as the sound grows closer and closer. The horse-shoe shape of the beach and surrounding clearing helps to make the noise louder, sound like it's coming from all around them. Squaks and the chattering of beaks can be discerned from the tromping, if one was to listen closely. "Release me at once curr!" Backfire stammers, struggling against Windshear. The tiny racket is a curiosity to Slugfest, who just sits there and does nothing. He lets Hinder do all the chasing. Although he could get his back-plates revving again and get Hinder to chase whatever-it-is INTO the mobile chainsaw. BZZZSPLAT. Combat: Backfire compares his Strength to Windshear's Strength: Failure. :( Windshear hears the noise just as well as Backfire. Does it bother him? Well he doesnt like to be on the ground if thats what someones wondering but because of that natural distaste for the ground Windys honed his ground skills to compensate now for centuries. As a result hes probably a fairly well adjusted flier on his two feet on the ground. But he knows very well what Backfire is feeling right now and as he graps him by the shoulders he pulls back a hand and suddenly slaps Backfire across the face. "Get a grip, Backfire." he rasps sternly. He feels for him, he really does but this is the last thing they need right now. "Whatever is causing the sound, we fight it from the air but you need your wits about you on the ground first... you ok?" he studies him but doesnt let him go just yet. Soundwave watches the ferret tape zoom off, then turns to Windshear. "Agreed. Use of perception is advised. Conflict may occur soon enough, Backfire, then you will get your chance. We must poise for the advantage." he nods to Sluggy. "You also, Slugfest. The persued in question could return this way. You are proof that danger is existant in small size." The surrounding vegetation is litterally trampled as a battalion of tiny Skitters break through the foilage, straight for the Decepticons. Small in stature, little bigger than your animalistic Cassette but smaller than your average Minibot. The scurry forward on six legs, two large pincers clacking together to produce that familiar sound heard earlier amidst the stampede. Some strange hybrid between an ant and the infantry bugs from 'Starship Troopers'. Some leaders of the 'fray' make their move forward, striking with their oversized pincers and tail stinger at anyone in close enough proximity. More importantly, they surround Hinder and strike at the ground in front of her. Not one of them strikes her directly, but the chance for rescue closes by the astrosecond ... as she's quickly being cut-off from Soundwave and the others, in a sea of Skitters. Welcome to Coludarr!! Skitter Horde has arrived. Combat: Backfire strikes himself with Skitter Horde's They're Everywhere! Area attack! -2 Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Backfire's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Backfire strikes Windshear with Skitter Horde's They're Everywhere! Area attack! -2 Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Windshear's Agility. (Crippled) Slugfest starts revvin his chainsaw-plates almost immediately, hoping the Skitters will impale and shred themselves on them. Hinder skids to a stop as clicky clacky bug-things surround her. She hisses warningly at them and flinches to one side or the other as they snap 'at' her, not yet realizing that they're closing completely around her and soon she won't have any way to escape ... except for straight up. Windshear catches something out of the corner of his optic and looks just in time to see the horder attack. Yea some attack, it took a nick out of his paint behind his right knee. In a flash he suddenly heaves Backfire up into the air as he knows thats where this Seeker really wants to be right now, and spins around to kick out at the closest group of skitters. Combat: Windshear strikes Skitter Horde with his Kick attack! A giant stinkbug flies from somewhere. He had been munching on something in the shuttle and lands, attaenae twitching as he seems to be assessing the situation. "Oh look. It would appear as though I found myself in the middle of a buffet..." He mutters in that insecticon voice of his, red optics watching the creatures. Soundwave steps back a few feet, kicking at the things, as they snap at his feet. "Decepticons! Disable your audio receptors!" he says, and not waiting for a reply, hits a button on his chest. A whining screech emits from him, pointed directly at the horde of Skitters. Backfire is tossed up in the air, like a sack of potatoes! "Hey, what's the big idea ... oh. Our DOMINATION of air and ground assault shall make these disgusting creatures -RUE- the day they met a Seeker! RUE I TELL YOU!!" he jests, activating boot thrusters and targetting the crowd of Skitters with his arm-mounted laser blasters. "RUE!!" Combat: Backfire misses Skitter Horde with his Arm-Mounted LAZORZ!! (Laser) attack! -2 Yea thats some RUE alright ... Two of the small bugs land in close proximity to Backfire, latching on with their legs and striking wildly with their pincers. All the while, tearing at his armor plating with their pincers. A moment too late perhaps, the Seeker manages to pry them from his form and fling them to the ground. "Vile cretins, how dare you violate my chassis!" he spits a bit of that green energon to the ground. Charging up a pulse of plasma inbetween his palms, Backfire sends it down at his assailants. "Now bow before the inevitable tide of our Decepticon GLORY!!" Combat: Backfire sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Backfire strikes Skitter Horde with his Solar Assault attack! Blight skitters out of the wat of their attempts to eat him, floating into the air only to divebomb at one of them and tries to eat some of them. Combat: Stinkbug misses Skitter Horde with his Munch attack! Slugfest is surrounded but mostly he's pointy. He swats his tail and revs his chainsaw-plates at the horde of insectoid beasts. "You go 'way! No sting me!" he shouts. He tries to plow his way towards Hinder to give her someplace to land. This is getting bad, fast. "Slugfest, assistance as chainsaw required!" Soundwave says, reaching out his arm. Slugfest leaps into Soundwave's arms! "Yes, use me! Me cut bugs down to size! Make go splat!" Soundwave swaths Chain Saw Sluggy at the vile little pests! Combat: Soundwave strikes Skitter Horde with Slugfest's Chainsaw Plates attack! Slugfest goes, 'rrrrrrrrrrrun, skitterskitterskitter, rrrrrrrrrrunnnnn, skitterskitterskitter...' The Skitters react like a tide, ebb and flow ... pulling back in temporary retreat to avoid attacks, only to surge forward with full force against the intruders to deliver their brand of justice. Leaving aerial targets out for now, the Skitter Horde charges forward at Soundwave and his handheld chainsaw-tape. Throwing themselves helplessly into the revvving blades, they sacrifice much to try and solidify a hit against the combined might of a Tape Commander and his loyal Dino-Saw. They don't take being eaten very well, or even an attempt to. The Skitters converge on the Insecticon, stinging wildly with their rear ends and the wicked fluid it secretes. All the while, trying to surround the Decepticons completely. Combat: Backfire strikes Soundwave with Skitter Horde's Strength in Numbers! Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Soundwave's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Backfire strikes Slugfest with Skitter Horde's Strength in Numbers! Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Slugfest's Agility. (Crippled) Combat: Backfire strikes Stinkbug with Skitter Horde's Strength in Numbers! Area attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Stinkbug's Agility. (Crippled) Blight gets hit and he screeches in pain. "Pathetic creatures!" He screeches out as he opens a vent and begins spraying that foul horrific stench he used to stink up autobots and enemies, the chemicals eating whatever it touches. Combat: Stinkbug misses Skitter Horde with his Horrific Stench attack! -3 Windshear cant beleive his blades missed. These creatures all act as one and the bob and weave and wave like massive schools of earth fish hes watched on TV in shows called 'nature documentaries'. Well there one thing they cant evade and retracting his blades the Seeker flings himself into Jet mode, spins around and slams to the ground, his afterburners facing the horde. With a mental death grip on his braking system he redlines his engine and afterburners, flaring out the end of the pipes and blasting the horder with fire and heat.. and if they move he gingerly tries to angle his afterburner in the new direction. But hes got powerful motors, his braking system is heating up badly. "Backfire!" he rasps hoping thats all he has to say. Backfire is moronic, simple minded, and quite possibly to most self indulgent Decepticon ... but he doesn't need this spelt out for him. Even less, he doesn't even require a word from his Seeker brother. Dashing downwards, the simpleton plants two hands on Windshear's front end, trying to curtail him from rocketing off towards the oceans. "Great teamwork comrade, MAXIMUM BURN!!!" he shouts, trying to point Windshear's altmode aft towards the largest collective of bugs. Combat: Windshear sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Windshear strikes Skitter Horde with his InYourFaceBuurrrrnnn (Laser) attack! "BURN BABY, BURN!!" Backfire cackles, reducing the minor squad of skitters to ashes. Hinder 'swims' out of bugreach then paddles toward Soundwave. But she sees that the meanies are getting REALLY mean. Not nice! So she dips down just enough to bite at one and maybe even lift it up off of the ground briefly. Combat: Hinder misses Skitter Horde with her swoop 'n' chomp attack! Soundwave has had enough of this game. Tossing Slugfest into an open area unoccupied by the hissing insects, he then leaps over them using his flight as assistance. "Decepticons, stand back!" he says, as he launches a concussive blast into the center of the horde. Combat: Soundwave sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Soundwave strikes Skitter Horde with his Concussion Blaster Gun attack! Slugfest rolls into a spiky ball and starts rolling through the mass of Skitters. The back plates are still vibrating, giving him some more momentum. Who knows what he'll slice into? Combat: Slugfest strikes Skitter Horde with his rolling chainsaw ball (Kick) attack! Between the combination of rear afterburners, concussive cannoning, and a spiky Steggo of death ... one of the larger Skitters rakes his pincers together, making a loud grating sound. Apparently heard by all, they coyly back away before maintaining a full retreat back into the depths of the jungle from hence they came. Clever little hunting party, they either drag away their wounded comrades or gurgitate an errosive acid onto their corpses, disolving them in a matter of seconds. And just like that, the area is vacated of the vile little creatures. The last creature to vacate the battlefield is the much larger 'leader' type, giving all of the Decepticons a menacing glare before turning tail itself. Skitter Horde has left. Backfire relaxes back, wiping a hand across his brow. "Whew, that was quite a workout. But they -RUED- the day still, did they not comrades?" Whether anyone actually hears him or not over the roar of Windshear's engines at max is another question. Banging on the front glass shielding twice, the simpleton leans in low to yell at his 'partner'. "HEY, THE BUG THINGIES ARE ALL DEAD AND STUFF. CUT THE THRUSTERS!!" Hinder EEPS! as Soundwave uses his "I have had enough of this" attack, because she's closer to the horde of bugs than she's planned on. SO not fun. But, thankfully, the bugs decide they've had enough and start to leave, so she 'swims' back to the ground a bit shakily before skittering straight toward Soundwave. They DARED to hit her! She needs reassurance! Getting his wits about him, Soundwave lands from hovering where the horde mass was only moments earlier. "Decepticons, condition report." he says, meanwhile running his own internal diagnostics. He looks over at Hinder, then Slugfest to check on their conditions, lest they be incapable of reporting. Hinder pressing herself to Soundwave's foot the moment he touches back down should be report enough. Slugfest rolls to a halt and uncurls, at Soundwave's feet. "Me Slugfest did good?" he asks, looking up at the Tape-Commander. Windshear feels the thump and hears Backfire. He powers down his engines and then transforms back to root mode in a sitting position on the ground, his legs out in front of him. The metal of his lower legs is hot and making ticking sounds as it starts to cool and for once Windys showing a bit of discomfort. Tolerance for fire/heat is one thing that helps but his legs are really steamed right now. he glances behind him to see the carnage and smirks a bit. He looks back at Backfire, "Thanks." he rumbles and then glances at everyone else. "Well that was..fun..not.." "Our progress has been impeded this night, but simple creatures no less!" Backfire stammers aloud, looking towards Soundwave. "No, that was not a correct evaluation. Simple they appeared, they coordinated their attacks and their strategy was nigh flawless. Yet the EMPIRE wins out comrades!" he laughs, touching at an arm piece that was eaten to crap by the Skitters. "Not without losses, course of action Commander Soundwave?" Did Slugfest mention he's all splattered with bug-guts? "Affirmative, Slugfest." Soundwave says, then looks up at the group. "Formal reports will show cohesive efforts of all Decepticons were successful in repelling the attack. I believe Galvatron will look upon this favorably. However, Backfire...though the Empire appreciates your enthusiasm.../try not to let the entire planet know about it in the future!/" Decepticon Message: 2/69 Posted Author Progress on Coludarr Thu Jul 22 Soundwave ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A staticky, black and white image appears on the viewscreen, and in the center is a scraped up Soundwave appears on the viewscreen. His tape door hangs open slightly as he gives his report. "Soundwave, reporting from Coludarr, coordinates 202.40, 322.18, 407.4513. The investigation initiated by Backfire has been largely successful, but has not been..." Suddenly, a bolt of lightning can be seen on the screen for a brief second, and the image disappears in static, flickering and returning a minute later with Soundwave righting the viewscreen. "...has not been met without opposition. Terran occupation of the planet is suspected, approximate population not available at this time. Native insect species proved to be significant opposition for our forces, however, our combined might drove them back, and our exploration-" A buzzing, not unlike a chainsaw, is now heard. It gets louder, and then another voice is heard. "Who him talking to? Me want to know!" Soundwave's voice is heard once more. "Slugfest! The path lies in the opposite direction! Disengage your-" For a brief second, a thick jagged line is seen in the middle of the screen, then the transmission goes silent.